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Here’s what we know about Russia’s new general for Ukraine
The US and Ukraine are in intensive discussions a few new spherical of safety help tailor-made to fight a stepped-up Russian marketing campaign in japanese and southern Ukraine, the place the terrain is completely different than the struggle’s earlier predominant entrance, in accordance with a number of US protection officers.
The package deal being put collectively might focus on extra drones and Javelin anti-tank weapons — which the US has beforehand offered to Ukraine. That is partly as a result of Ukraine already has these sorts of weapons in its stock and may use them shortly, one official mentioned.
The US can be speaking to companions and allies in Europe to see what further lengthy vary air protection methods, tanks, armor, and artillery they may have the ability to present Ukraine from their very own inventories.
These discussions are notably pressing as a result of the terrain within the south and japanese parts of Ukraine is completely different than the preliminary section, which happened to some extent in wooded areas north of Kyiv the place Ukraine’s forces succeeded with ambush ways.
Now, alongside the brand new japanese and southern fronts, the Ukrainians want is for heavier weapons, equivalent to armor and artillery, the officers mentioned.
“It’s rather more open and lends itself to armor mechanized offensive operations on each side,” Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Employees, informed a Senate panel final week.
US methods usually are not within the Ukrainian stock, so discovering companions and allies keen to contribute is a key precedence. A part of the negotiations embody dialogue of the US changing the companions’ provisions with presumably extra superior methods.
Ukraine nonetheless needs to get fighter jets, the officers mentioned, however the US stays against facilitating any such switch.
The Protection Division has mentioned that Russia’s refocus to the Donbas area has not affected the power to get safety help from the US to Ukraine.
“Eight to 10 flights a day are coming into the area, not simply from the US however from different nations as properly,” Pentagon press secretary John Kirby mentioned at a briefing Monday.
“In some circumstances, stuff coming from the US takes not more than 4 to 6 days from the time the president authorizes drawdown authority to it will get into the arms of the Ukrainians,” he mentioned.
CNN’s Michael Conte contributed reporting to this submit.